Top 30 International Shipping Companies
Alphaliner's ranking of the largest ocean shipping companies by container capacity (TEUs)
The international shipping sector is a cornerstone of the global economy, handling over 90% of global trade. Using data from Alphaliner, we present a list of the top 30 shipping companies worldwide based on TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) capacity, revealing the maritime giants driving international trade.
1. Maersk Shipping (A.P. Moller – Maersk)
- Founded: 1904
- Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
- Revenue: US$9.6 billion
- Number of employees: 76,000
- : www.maersk.com
Maersk is the world's largest shipping company, operating a vast fleet of container and supply vessels. It operates in over 130 countries and transports goods worth more than $675 billion annually. The company owns subsidiaries such as Maersk Line and APM Terminals and provides comprehensive shipping and logistics solutions.
2. (Mediterranean Shipping Company – MSC)
- Founded: 1970
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Revenue: US$28.19 billion
- Number of employees: 70,000
- : www.msc.com
MSC is the world's second-largest shipping company, with a fleet of over 500 vessels and a capacity of nearly 3 million TEUs. The company serves more than 500 ports on 200 global trade routes, offering multimodal transportation solutions including land transport and door-to-door services.
3. China COSCO Shipping Corporation
- Founded: 1961
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- Revenue: 72.5 billion Chinese yuan
- Number of employees: 130,000
- : http://en.coscocs.com
COSCO is a Chinese state-owned company that owns more than 360 dry bulk carriers and operates in over 1,000 ports worldwide. It is one of the leading operators of ocean and bulk cargo shipping in Asia and globally.
4. (CMA CGM Group)
- Founded: 1978
- Headquarters: Marseille, France
- Revenue: US$23.48 billion
- Number of employees: 110,000
- : www.cmacgm.com
CMA CGM serves more than 420 ports worldwide with a fleet of over 500 vessels. The group provides shipping and logistics services and is known for its high degree of flexibility in managing maritime transport and commercial operations.
5. (Hapag-Lloyd)
- Founded: 1970
- Headquarters: Hamburg, Germany
- Revenue: €11.5 billion
- Number of employees: 12,900
- : www.hapag-lloyd.com
Hapag-Lloyd is Germany's largest shipping company, operating 237 vessels and offering 118 shipping routes across all continents. It serves over 600 ports and is a major player in transatlantic and Middle Eastern container shipping.
6. (Ocean Network Express – ONE)
- Founded: 2017
- Headquarters: Singapore
- Revenue: US$2.87 billion
- Number of employees: 14,000
- : www.one-line.com
ONE is a joint venture between three major Japanese companies, operating a fleet of over 240 container ships. It has a global presence in 90 countries and is renowned for its advanced maritime transport services.
7. (Evergreen Marine Corporation)
- Founded: 1968
- Headquarters: Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Revenue: 124.47 billion New Taiwan dollars
- Number of employees: 10,000
- : www.evergreen-marine.com
Evergreen is one of Asia’s leading shipping companies, with a fleet of over 200 container ships and coverage of more than 240 ports worldwide.
8. (Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation)
- Founded: 1972
- Headquarters: Taiwan
- Revenue: NT$141.85 billion
- Number of employees: 5,393
- : www.yangming.com
Yang Ming provides shipping and logistics services covering more than 70 countries through a fleet of more than 100 vessels.
9. (Pacific International Lines – PIL)
- Founded: 1967
- Headquarters: Singapore
- Revenue: US$4.04 billion
- Number of employees: 18,000
- : www.pilship.com
PIL focuses on Asia, Africa and the Middle East routes, and operates more than 150 ships serving 500 destinations worldwide.
10. (Hyundai Merchant Marine – HMM)
- Founded: 1976
- Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
- Revenue: US$4.6 billion
- Number of employees: 5,000
- : www.hmm21.com
HMM owns more than 130 vessels and provides maritime transport and logistics services across 100 ports on all continents.
11. (ZIM Integrated Shipping Services)
- Founded: 1945
- Headquarters: Haifa, Israel
- Revenue: US$3.3 billion
- Number of employees: 4,200
- : www.zim.com
ZIM is Israel’s largest shipping company, operating 80 ships serving 180 ports worldwide.
12. (Wan Hai Lines)
- Founded: 1965
- Headquarters: Taipei, Taiwan
- Revenue: NT$71.6 billion
- Number of employees: 3,940
- : www.wanhai.com
Wan Hai operates a fleet of over 90 vessels and serves 20 major international routes in Asia and the world.
13. (Zhonggu Logistics Corporation)
- Founded: 2010
- Headquarters: Shanghai, China
- Number of employees: 702
- : www.ykzcwl.com
Zhonggu is one of the most important coastal shipping companies in China, operating more than 60 ships and about 150,000 standard containers.
14. (Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines – IRISL Group)
- Founded: 1979
- Headquarters: Tehran, Iran
- Number of employees: 7,000
- : www.irislgroup.com
IRISL operates a fleet of more than 80 vessels covering the Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Indian Ocean.
15. (Korea Marine Transport Company – KMTC)
- Founded: 1954
- Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
- Revenue: US$1.2 billion
- Number of employees: 1,000
- : www.kmtc.co.kr
KMTC covers more than 30 ports in Japan and 16 in China, and is one of the largest Korean companies in maritime shipping.
16. (Antong Holdings – QASC)
- Founded: 1998
- Headquarters: Quanzhou, China
- Revenue: 8.45 billion Chinese yuan
- Number of employees: 1,600
Antong Holdings is the largest domestic container shipping company in China and owns Ansheng Shipping.
17. (Shandong International Transport – SITC)
- Founded: 2010
- Headquarters: Hong Kong
- Revenue: HK$11.78 billion
- Number of employees: 1,420
- : www.sitc.com
SITC offers integrated transportation and logistics solutions in Asia, including sea, land and warehousing services.
18. (X-Press Feeders Group)
- Founded: 1972
- Headquarters: Singapore
- Number of employees: 260
- : www.x-pressfeeders.com
X-Press Feeders operates more than 110 vessels covering Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, and is one of the largest independent shared transportation companies.
19. (TS Lines)
- Founded: 2001
- Headquarters: Hong Kong
- : www.tslines.com
TS Lines operates a fleet of 36 ships and is considered one of the leading shipping companies in Taiwan.
20. (SM Line Corporation)
- Founded: 2016
- Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
- Number of employees: 650
- : www.smlines.com
SM Line connects Busan and Long Beach, providing cost-effective and time-efficient transportation services.
21. (Arkas Line / EMES)
- Founded: 1996
- Headquarters: Izmir, Türkiye
- Revenue: US$1.14 billion
- Number of employees: 7,300
- : www.arkas.com.tr
Arkas manages the largest commercial fleet in Türkiye and operates in 23 countries through 59 offices.
22. (Sinotrans)
- Founded: 2002
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- Revenue: 77.31 billion Chinese yuan
- Number of employees: 36,440
- : www.sinotrans.com
Sinotrans is one of the largest logistics service providers in China and offers shipping, warehousing and trucking services.
23. (Sinokor Merchant Marine)
- Founded: 1999
- Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
- Revenue: 183.7 billion Korean won
- Number of employees: 2,000
- : www.sinokor.co.kr
Sinokor operates container shipping services covering 16 countries and works with global charterers on long-term contracts.
24. (Regional Container Lines – RCL)
- Founded: 1980
- Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand
- Revenue: 14.76 billion Thai Baht
- Number of employees: 750
- : www.rclgroup.com
RCL operates a fleet of ships that connect Asia, Australia and the Middle East with a regular transport network.
25. (PT Salam Pacific Indonesia Lines – SPIL)
- Founded: 1970
- Headquarters: Surabaya, Indonesia
- : www.spil.co.id
SPIL covers more than 29 strategic locations within the Indonesian archipelago with a fleet of 73 ships.
26. (Unifeeder)
- Founded: 1977
- Headquarters: Aarhus, Denmark
- Revenue: 590 million euros
- Number of employees: 375
- : www.unifeeder.com
Unifeeder is one of the largest container operators in Northern Europe and offers door-to-door transport solutions between European ports.
27. (Matson Inc)
- Founded: 2012
- Headquarters: Honolulu, USA
- Revenue: US$2.24 billion
- Number of employees: 2,000
- : www.matson.com
Matson focuses on shipping services between the United States and Pacific islands such as Hawaii, Guam, and Alaska.
28. (NileDutch)
- Founded: 1982
- Headquarters: Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Revenue: US$25 million
- Number of employees: 302
- : www.niledutch.com
NileDutch is one of the leading companies specializing in connecting West Africa with the rest of the world, and has been operating in the region for over 30 years.
29. (Swire Shipping)
- Founded: 1816
- Head Office: Hong Kong, London
- Number of employees: 350
- : www.swireshipping.com
Swire Shipping operates a fleet of multi-purpose vessels serving Asia, the Pacific, and Australia, and is distinguished by its ability to transport heavy and packaged cargo.
30. (Grimaldi Group – Napoli)
- Founded: 1947
- Headquarters: Naples, Italy
- Number of employees: 8,000
- : www.grimaldi.napoli.it
Grimaldi offers extensive shipping and logistics services, including the transport of cars, goods, and containers via a huge fleet of European vessels.
The following are some of the strongest shipping companies that were listed among the world's largest companies, but are not among the top 30 according to recent international rankings:
| company | Founded | Headquarters | emplye | official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
(Antong Holdings / QASC / Ansheng Shipping) |
1998 | Quanzhou, People's Republic of China | 1,600 | N/A |
(Zhonggu Logistics Corporation) |
2010 | Shanghai, People's Republic of China | 702 | www.ykzcwl.com |
(Sinotrans Container Lines) |
2002 | Beijing, People's Republic of China | 36,440 | www.sinotrans.com |
| الخطوط البحرية الإيرانية (IRISL / Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines) |
1979 | tahran iran | 7,000 | www.irislgroup.com |
(NileDutch) |
1982 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | 302 | www.niledutch.com |
(Grimaldi / Napoli Shipping Group) |
1947 | Naples, Italy | 8,000 | www.grimaldi.napoli.it |
In conclusion
This list demonstrates the diversity and sophistication of global shipping companies in meeting the needs of international ocean trade. From Europe to Asia and America, these companies are driving modern trade, providing smart and sustainable solutions for transporting goods.
Finally, for inquiries about shipping services at Badr International, you canContact us .
Top 30 International Shipping Companies